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Bobcat Women Open SLC Play With 73-69 Win At NSU
Jan. 4, 2007 NATCHITOCHES, LA. - Janesha Washington scored a career-high 24 points, including six in the final 1:36, as Texas State opened up Southland Conference play with a 73-69 win over Northwestern State at Prather Coliseum Thursday night. Washington and Joyce Ekworomadu combined to score 13 of the Bobcats' final 14 points and 41 in all. Ekworomadu finished with a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds despite not scoring in the first half. Eight minutes into the game NSU led 10-8, but both teams struggled from the floor, as each shot 33 percent during that span and finished the half with an identical 34.5 percent shooting mark. The Bobcats took their first lead of the game on a Washington three that made it 18-16 with 5:31 remaining. Texas State's lead grew to as many as five in the first half, but the Lady Demons got back within two as the half time buzzer sounded thanks to an Ashli Barnum lay-up with two seconds left. NSU kept up the pressure in the second half, building a five-point lead during the first four minutes. Texas State used its defense to come back, as a pair of steals led to easy baskets, including a Brooke DeGrate fast break lay-up that gave the Bobcats a 36-35 lead at the 15:16 mark. From there the lead see-sawed back and forth until Chassidy Jones and Barnum sparked an 11-3 Lady Demon run as NSU took a 54-47 lead with 7:18 remaining in the game. Texas State then fought back with a 7-0 run over a 1:07 span to tie it at 56-56 with 5:17 left, and with 2:03 left two free throws from Ekworomadu tied it again at 64-64. Washington then took charge, first hitting a short jumper in the lane to give Texas State a 66-65 lead, its first in over 10 minutes. On the next Lady Demon possession, Washington then dove for a loose ball and drew a foul on Shonte Kennedy. Washington then hit both resulting free throws with 1:29 left as the Bobcats went up 68-65.
NSU got a point back on a free throw after a Ryann Bradford foul, but Washington again stepped up with a steal and fast-break lay-up to put the Bobcats up by four with only 45 seconds remaining. Texas State then added two more on a pair of Ekworomadu free throws. Tweet Williams' 3-pointer cut the Bobcat lead in half with 20 seconds left, but NSU would get no closer as the `Cats held on for the 73-69 win. Jones led the Lady Demons with 19 points, and Matthews added 16. Both players had eight rebounds as well. The Bobcats continue their weekend road trip to open SLC play with a game Saturday at Central Arkansas. Tip off in the first-ever match-up between the two teams will be at 2 p.m. |
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